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FAQ

A number of factors collectively make this area suitable for a Masterplan.

1.The largest site in the area is the Oval Gas Works. It is currently being decommissioned as part of a nationwide strategy to use new technologies for the storage and movement of gas. This primarily relies on storing gas under pressure in pipes, meaning the old holders are no longer required.

2.The majority of the site is designated as the Montford Place Key Industry and Business Area, KIBA for short. KIBAs are a land use planning term for areas where business and industry should be located. With the gas works being decommissioned the area needs to be investigated to determine whether a KIBA designation represents the most appropriate use of the land. The Masterplan process will investigate all the relevant factors and provide the information needed to develop an evidence base, which will assist Lambeth Council with future planning policy decisions.

3.Whilst the majority of the Masterplan area is designated for business and industry, a few neighbouring sites are outside the KIBA. These include the Tesco supermarket and car park site, the Axis building on the corner of Kennington Lane and Vauxhall Street and a number of private dwellings at the front of the Tesco car park on Kennington Lane. Tesco is identified in Lambeth Planning Policy as a Major Development Opportunity site and for sensibilities sake the frontage of Kennington Lane between the KIBA was included in the Masterplan area.

All of these sites are in private ownership, they will not be redeveloped. They have been included in the OAKDA masterplan as the boundary seeks to complete the Key Industrial and Business Area (KIBA) line, as shown in the plan below.

The Masterplan retains the frame of the largest Grade II listed gas holder; Gas Holder No.1. The existing gas holder framework will be carefully dismantled, restored and rebuilt at the site. It will be re-erected as close to its current location as possible so that existing views of the gas holder are retained and existing residents are not impacted by its new location.

The Masterplan proposes a new residential building to be built within the confines of the gas holder frame. This is proposed to be 3 storeys on the southern side to respect existing building heights and up to 10 storeys on the northern side. The gas holder is approximately 14 storeys in height; a key aspect of its contribution to the local townscape is the ability to view the framework and the sky beyond. It is proposed to respect these sightlines by ensuring that the height of development does not impact on this composition.

Gas holders Nos. 4 and 5 and their frames will be removed from the site. A visual and historical record of Gas Holders Nos. 4 and 5 will be created, with potential for a three-dimensional representation of this record in art throughout the project.

Where possible, elements of Nos. 4 and 5 will be re-used or referenced within new development, specifically the Phoenix symbols which form a strong element of their heritage significance.

The gas holders are being decommissioned as part of a nationwide strategy to remove these now redundant structures. Gas is now stored under pressure in the pipe network so the holders themselves are no longer required.

Yes there will be decontamination required of the site. The site was not used for gas production, only gas storage, so the levels of contamination should be lower than some gas holder sites. Strict demolition and construction practices will ensure there is no safety issue with the decontamination process.

The site is currently largely made up of a KIBA - Key Industrial and Business Area. This is an area protected for employment uses by Lambeth and it is made up of a range of commercial uses. The Tesco site is allocated as an MDO (Major Development Opportunity) so has already been recognised by Lambeth as a site suitable for redevelopment. Also within the masterplan boundary are a number of residential buildings and a pub.

Masterplans are a comprehensive way to understand the area and deliver a coordinated plan for its regeneration over time. This will allow the various landowners, should they choose to develop their sites, to do so in accordance with an endorsed masterplan which demonstrates how this should occur.

This will act as a guide for future development in the area. This process does not include any planning applications for future development. This masterplan simply sets a standard to which all future applications will have to comply. All future developments, including those promoted by Berkeley, will have to undergo the standard planning application process.

Berkeley control the key site in the OAKDA and the entire premise of the Masterplan is on the basis that the gas works are going to come forward for redevelopment. Therefore Berkeley have committed to fund the masterplan process and collaborate closely with Lambeth to help produce a comprehensive Masterplan

There's a range of building heights at the site perimeter. Kennington Park Estate is up to 5 storeys, Montford Place is 2-3, and The Foundry and Imperial Court are 4 storeys. Vauxhall Gardens Estate to the north is up to 11 storeys.

There are some areas of the site where it is not appropriate for taller buildings, however the site is large enough to accommodate taller buildings in places without negatively impacting on surrounding views and sensitive areas. The taller buildings are located in the centre of the site and building heights around the sites perimeter have been kept lower to respect the local area. The site represents an excellent opportunity to deliver much needed housing and jobs and some taller buildings on site will help achieve this.

The Masterplan sets a framework for building heights, massing and layout. The architectural language is likely to be informed by the site's industrial heritage. Buildings are likely to be brick which also reflect the local context.

It is anticipated that Berkeley will manage the employment space in its entirety, potentially looking within the operator's market for a partner that has specialist skills in co-working spaces. Berkeley will ensure that the management of the space focuses on the configuration best suited to its sustainable growth and evolution. This would include flexible spaces aimed at 'startups', SMEs and CICs. Co-working would operate around a central shared space with the ability to spill over into public cafes areas; this generates activity and enables interaction between a variety of people and businesses.

Yes, the proposed buildings within the retained Gas Holder No.1 will be low enough to ensure that the majority of the framework is still clearly visible, particularly from within the Kia Oval cricket ground. This is an important element in ensuring that the gas holder retains its distinctiveness and its important contribution to local townscape.

No major waste facilities are expected to come forward in the borough in the Local Plan period, but there is scope for smaller-scale facilities, such as reuse facilities and on-site waste management, which could contribute to meeting the borough's waste apportionment. KIBA land is identified in the London Plan and Lambeth Local Plan as being suitable for waste uses. There is therefore an expectation that KIBA land provides opportunities for waste management uses, so possibilities for such uses must be considered for the Masterplan area.

The masterplanning stage does not prescribe specific architectural treatment. The development is likely to draw inspiration from the site's industrial past and will include natural materials such as brick.

The intention is that the Masterplan will improve the area and neighbouring sites compared to the current land uses. Further into the future, during any construction, a construction management plan will be agreed with Lambeth to minimise the impact of construction on neighbours. This will set out time restrictions for works, routing for construction vehicles and also key contacts to raise concerns with.